Spring packing for journal boxes



v May 12 193%. c. T. RIPLEY SPRING PACKING FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Dec.21, 1934 k ,1 i V f 6 1 5x511 l a A j g Patented May 12, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in springpacking for journal boxes, and more particularly to an improvedcomposite material for packing journal boxes or analogous purposes, thematerial being of the general character described and claimed in myprior Patents 1,298,794, granted April 1, 1919, and 1,542,098, grantedJune 16, 1925.

Cotton waste or woolen waste when used alone as a packing material forjournal boxes have not either proved satisfactory in practice because ofthe lack of resiliency of the waste when it becomes impregnated withoil. The waste becomes soggy and its resiliency is insufficient to holdit up against the journal. The improved packing material, as disclosedand claimed in my prior patents, consists of a body of absorbent,fibrous or capillary, or other loosely aggregated material, such ascotton or woolen Waste for example, having embodied therein orinterwoven therewith coiled spring elements to give the material aresiliency even when the waste is saturated with lubricant, so that itwill retain unimpaired its loosely aggregated condition and its capacityfor absorbing the lubricant, and will remain in yieldable contact withthe journal at all times.

The packing material disclosed in this present application is improvedby the use of a new form of spring insert which has added and moreenduring resiliency in more than one direction, and which has otheradvantages that will be brought out hereinafter.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improvedcomposite packing material for journal boxes of the type brieflydescribed hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specificationswhich follow.

Another object is to provide an improved form of spring insert for usein composite journal box packing material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description of one approved form of packingconstructed and operating according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section through a journal box with someof the improved packing material positioned therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the improved spring member.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the spring member looking toward the openside thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the spring member as seen in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the spring member, with the open side atthe right.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the spring member as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a bent spring wire before it is rolled into theform shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive.

At A is indicated a railway car journal box of well known type,supported through brass B on the axle or journal C. At D is indicated amass 10 resiliency without being hard enough to scratch or injure thejournal.

The improved form of spring insert is shown in Figs. 2 to 7 inclusive.While this spring member preferably has the general size and shape ofthe coiled spring helix heretofore used, it differs in that the helix isso modified as to be split or 5 open at one side thereof. In thepreferred form shown it consists of a plurality of connected butalternately reversed helical coils, each coil being somewhat less than360 in length. In the form shown there are three of these connectedcoils I, 0

2 and 3. The first coil 1 extends from the hooked end 4 in a clockwisedirection (as viewed from above in Figs. 3 and 5) through an arc ofabout 315 or seven-eighths of a circle, and is then joined by the bowedend 5 with one end of the coil 2 which extends in the opposite orcounter-clockwise direction through a similar arc. The other end of coil2 is connected by the bowed end 6 with the third coil 3 which extends ina clockwise direction and is terminated by the hooked end portion I.

It will be understood that the several coils might be of greater or lessarcuate extent than shown in the example just described, and that thenumber and size of the coils can be varied as found convenient ordesirable. While preferably the arcuate length of the constituent coilsis such as to leave one side of the assembly open,

as indicated at 8, the coils might be of such length as to extendthrough agreater are than 360, that is, the end portions 4, 5, 6 and 7would overlap or extend between one another.

The shape and construction of this spring member may perhaps be betterunderstood from a consideration of Fig. 7 which illustrates a partlyformed spring member according to one method of construction. A suitablelength of the spring wire is first bent into the form shown in 5 Fig."I, that'is consisting of three straight lengths of wire I, 2' and 3extending at angles to one another and connected by the bowed ends 5 and6. The inwardly bent hooks 4 and I are also formed on the two ends ofthe wire at this stage in the manufacture, the entire spring memberlying in substantially the same plane as indicated in Fig. '7. Thisassembly may now be rolled around a suitable cylindrical mandrel, andthe spring member will then take the form shown in Figs. 2 to 6 15inclusive. It will be understood that this member might be constructedin other manners, or by a different succession of steps, thanhereinabove disclosed by way of example.

This improved type of spring element F is com- 20 pressible andresilient, not only longitudinally of the spring, but also transverselyor at right angles to the longitudinal axis, since the several coils maybe compressed so as to tend to close the open side 8. The spring is alsocompressible in 25, diagonal directions so that a resilient action isobtained in practically any direction.

The spring elements F are inserted into or interwoven with the waste inany convenient manner, preferably so that the waste material is 30.intertwined with the coils both inside and between the several loops orcoils. The open side 8 permitsscrewing the end and loop (for example 1and at one side of the opening directly into the waste by a partialrotation of the spring in- 35 sert about its longitudinal axis. Theseveral spring elements will extend in various directions throughout themass of waste, and since these spring elements are yieldable in alldirections the composite packing material D will retain its re- *"ouslystand up within the journal box so as to apply oil to the journalC.

The hooked ends 4 and l engage the strands of waste and interlocktherewith so as to prevent 45 separation of the constituent elements ofthe "composite packing. It will be noted that these hooks are positionedsubstantially in the cylindrical surface of the assembled coils and donot project outwardly, thus minimizing the danger of 50 injury toworkmen while handling this material. This improved spring is alsostiffer and more resistant to longitudinal stress and deformation, dueto the intermediate bends or loops 5 and 6 which strengthen and stiffenthe assembly. In

siliency even when soaked with oil and continuthe process of reclaimingused packing material, it is subjected to a centrifugal process to throwout the oil, and then to a violent shaking process to remove dirt andthese processes tend to deform the ordinary coiled spring heretoforeused. The added strength and stiffness provided in this new type ofspring element is more resistant to deformation during this reclaimingprocess.

While a preferred form of spring element has herein above been disclosedin detail, it should be understood that the specific shape andproportions of the element can be varied without departing from theprinciples of this invention. The coils need not be truly helical, andthe different coils need not all have the same diameter.

I claim:

1. A packing material for journal boxes or the like, comprising a massof lubricant-absorbing material, and a plurality of metallic springsinterwoven therewith, each spring being in the form of a continuouslength of spring wire coiled alternately in opposite directions about acentral longitudinal axis.

2. A packing material for journal boxes or the like, comprising a massof lubricant-absorbing material, and a plurality of metallic springsinterwoven therewith, each spring being in the form of a modified helixconsisting of a plurality of connected alternately reversely directedhelical coils, the coils being of substantially equal length andsomewhat less than 360 in length so that the spring is continuously openfrom end to end at one side.

3. A packing material for journal boxes or the like, comprising a massof lubricant-absorbing material, and a plurality of metallic springsinterwoven therewith, each spring being in the form of a modified helixconsisting of a plurality of connected alternately reversely directedhelical coils, both endsof the spring being bent back substantially inthe cylindrical surface of the helix to form hooks which engage theabsorbent material.

4. A packing material for journal boxes or the like, comprising a massof lubricant-absorbing material, and a plurality of metallic springsinterwoven therewith, each spring being formed from a continuous lengthof spring wire so coiled about a longitudinal axis as to be open fromend to end at one side, thus being adapted to yield and react tocompressive forces either in the direction of the longitudinal axis ortransversely thereof.

CHARLES T. RIPLEY.

